Lavandula plant named ‘Anouk Deluxe 1304’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Lavandula  plant named ‘Anouk Deluxe 1304’, characterized by its compact and broadly upright plant habit; freely branching growth habit; dense and bushy appearance; strong durable plants; relatively broad leaves; freely flowering habit; dark violet blue-colored flowers with purple violet-colored terminal flower bracts positioned on strong and erect peduncles; long flowering period and strong re-flowering habit; and good garden performance.

Botanical designation: Lavandula stoechas.

Cultivar denomination: ‘ANOUK DELUXE 1304’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct Lavandula plant, botanically known as Lavandula stoechas, commonly referred to as Lavender and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Anouk Deluxe 1304’.

The new Lavandula plant is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Boskoop, The Netherlands. The objective of the breeding program was to develop new unique Lavandula plants with good performance and attractive plant form and flower coloration.

The new Lavandula plant originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventor in May, 2012 of Lavandula stoechas ‘Anouk Deluxe 109’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 26,494, as the female, or seed, parent with Lavandula stoechas ‘Anouk Deluxe 173’, disclosed in a U.S. Plant patent application Ser. No. 14/999,140, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Lavandula plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled environment in Boskoop, The Netherlands in May, 2013.

Asexual reproduction of the new Lavandula plant by terminal cuttings in a controlled greenhouse environment in Boskoop, The Netherlands since August, 2013 has shown that the unique features of this new Lavandula plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Lavandula have not been observed under all possible combinations of environmental conditions and cultural practices. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditions such as temperature and light intensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of the new Lavandula plant. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Anouk Deluxe 1304’ as a new and distinct Lavandula plant:

-   -   1. Compact and broadly upright plant habit.     -   2. Freely branching growth habit; dense and bushy appearance.     -   3. Strong durable plants.     -   4. Relatively broad leaves.     -   5. Freely flowering habit.     -   6. Dark violet blue-colored flowers with purple violet-colored         terminal flower bracts positioned on strong and erect peduncles.     -   7. Long flowering period and strong re-flowering habit.     -   8. Good garden performance.

Plants of the new Lavandula differ primarily from plants of the female parent, ‘Anouk Deluxe 109’, in terminal flower bract color as plants of ‘Anouk Deluxe 109’ have dark purple-colored terminal flower bracts.

Plants of the new Lavandula differ primarily from plants of the male parent, ‘Anouk Deluxe 173’, in plant habit as plants of the new Lavandula are more compact and broader than plants of ‘Anouk Deluxe 173’.

Plants of the new Lavandula can be compared to plants of the Lavandula stoechas ‘Anouk’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 16,685. In side-by-side comparisons, plants of the new Lavandula differ primarily from plants of ‘Anouk’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Lavandula are more compact than plants of         ‘Anouk’.     -   2. Plants of the new Lavandula flower for a longer period of         time and have a stronger re-flowering habit than plants of         ‘Anouk’.

Plants of the new Lavandula can also be compared to plants of the Lavandula stoechas ‘Toscane’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 18,046. In side-by-side comparisons, plants of the new Lavandula differ primarily from plants of ‘Toscane’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Lavandula are more compact than plants of         ‘Toscane’.     -   2. Plants of the new Lavandula flower for a longer period of         time and have a stronger re-flowering habit than plants of         ‘Toscane’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Lavandula plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Lavandula plant.

The photograph on the first sheet is a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Anouk Deluxe 1304’ grown in a container.

The photograph on the second sheet is a close-up view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Anouk Deluxe 1304’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

Plants used in the aforementioned photographs and following detailed description were grown in 15-cm containers during the spring and early summer in an outdoor nursery in Boskoop, The Netherlands and under cultural practices typical of commercial Lavandula production. Plants were ten months old when the photographs and description were taken. During the production of the plants, day temperatures ranged from 12° C. to 26° C. and night temperatures ranged from 6° C. to 16° C. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2007 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Lavandula stoechas ‘Anouk Deluxe 1304’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Lavandula stoechas ‘Anouk Deluxe             109’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 26,494.         -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Lavandula stoechas ‘Anouk Deluxe             173’, disclosed in a U.S. Plant Patent application filed             concurrently. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—Terminal vegetative cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots, summer and winter.—About ten days at             temperatures about 18° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About 60 days             at temperatures about 20° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About 70 days             at temperatures about 20° C.         -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous; initially white in color             and becoming more brown with development; actual color of             the roots is dependent on substrate composition, water             quality, fertilizer type and formulation.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; dense. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Herbaceous perennial; compact and             broadly upright plant habit; freely branching habit; low to             moderately vigorous growth habit; flowers arranged in             verticillasters on crowded spikes with showy terminal flower             bracts.         -   Plant height, soil level to top of floral plane.—About 20.1             cm.         -   Plant width.—About 28.1 cm.         -   Lateral branch description.—Quantity per plant: About 55             primary lateral branches developing per plant with numerous             secondary branches. Length: About 8.7 cm. Diameter: About             3 mm. Internode length: About 6 mm. Strength: Strong.             Aspect: Upright to outwardly. Texture and luster: Moderately             tomentose; matte. Color: Close to 145B, tinged with close to             184A and 184B; pubescence, close to 157D.         -   Leaf description.—Arrangement: Opposite, simple; sessile.             Length: About 3 cm. Width: About 9 mm. Shape: Narrowly             elliptic to lanceolate or oblanceolate. Apex: Acute. Base:             Cuneate. Margin: Entire; revolute. Texture and luster, upper             and lower surfaces: Densely tomentose; matte. Fragrance:             Strongly aromatic, pungent. Venation pattern: Pinnate.             Color: Developing leaves, upper surface: Close to 137C.             Developing leaves, lower surface: Close to 138B. Fully             expanded leaves, upper surface: Close to between N137C and             189A; venation, close to 147C; pubescence, close to 192D.             Fully expanded leaves, lower surface: Close to 138B;             venation, close to 147D; pubescence, close to 192D. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flower type, arrangement and habit.—Small single salverform             flowers arranged in compact verticillasters on crowded             terminal spikes; freely flowering, about 160 flowers             developing per inflorescence and more than 6,500 flowers             developing per plant; flowers with two-lobed upper lip and             three-lobed lower lip; flowers face mostly outwardly to             slightly upright on the spike; inflorescences with showy             terminal flower bracts.         -   Natural flowering season.—Long flowering period; continuous             from late spring into late summer in The Netherlands; strong             re-flowering habit.         -   Flower longevity on the plant.—Individual flowers last about             ten days on the plant; flowers not persistent.         -   Fragrance.—None detected.         -   Flower buds.—Length: About 4 mm. Diameter: About 1.5 mm.             Shape: Narrowly oblanceolate. Texture and luster: Moderately             tomentose; matte. Color: Close to 145C; towards the apex,             close to N186B.         -   Inflorescence size.—Height: About 4.7 cm. Diameter, at             terminal flower bracts: About 1.6 cm. Diameter, below flower             bracts: About 1.4 cm.         -   Flower size.—Diameter: About 3.75 mm. Depth (height): About             8 mm.         -   Petals.—Quantity and arrangement: Upper lip, two-lobed and             lower lip, three-lobed. Length, upper lip: About 7 mm.             Length, lower lip: About 6 mm. Width, upper lip: About             2.5 mm. Width, lower lip: About 3.5 mm. Shape: Roughly             spatulate; lower 80% fused into a tube. Apex: Obtuse,             rounded. Margin: Entire. Texture and luster, upper (inner)             and lower (outer) surfaces: Smooth, glabrous, velvety;             matte. Color: When opening and fully opened, upper (inner)             surface: Close to N92A; throat, close to 86A, towards the             base, close to NN155D; color does not fade with development.             When opening and fully opened, lower (outer) surface: Close             to N92A; tube, close to 86A, towards the base, close to             NN155D; color does not fade with development.         -   Terminal flower bracts.—Quantity and arrangement: About             eight positioned upright at inflorescence apex. Length:             About 1.7 cm. Width: About 7 mm. Shape: Narrowly obovate.             Apex: Broadly acute. Base: Cuneate. Margin: Entire;             undulate. Texture and luster, upper surface: Slightly             tomentose (minute hairs); matte. Texture and luster, lower             surface: Moderately tomentose (minute hairs); matte. Color,             upper surface: Close to N82A; pubescence, close to NN155D.             Color, lower surface: Close to N82A; venation, close to             N186C; pubescence, close to NN155D.         -   Basal flower bracts.—Quantity and arrangement: Each group of             five flowers is subtended by a single basal flower bract.             Length: About 6 mm. Width: About 7 mm. Shape: Broadly             rhomboidal. Apex: Aristate. Base: Cuneate. Margin: Entire.             Texture and luster, upper and lower surfaces: Moderately             tomentose; matte. Color, upper surface: Close to 186B;             venation, close to 147A; pubescence, close to NN155A. Color,             lower surface: Close to 186B; venation, close to N199A;             pubescence, close to NN155A.         -   Sepals.—Quantity and arrangement: Five, fused into a             campanulate tube. Length: About 4 mm. Width: About 0.75 mm.             Shape: Lanceolate. Apex: Acute. Margin: Entire. Texture and             luster, upper (inner) and lower (outer) surfaces: Densely             pubescent; matte. Color: When opening, upper (inner) and             lower (outer) surfaces: Close to 145C; towards the apex             tinged with close to N186B; pubescence, close to NN155C to             NN155D. Fully opened, upper (inner) and lower (outer)             surfaces: Close to 145C; towards the apex tinged with close             to N77C; pubescence, close to NN155C to NN155D.         -   Peduncles.—Length: About 2.2 cm. Diameter: About 2 mm.             Aspect: Mostly upright. Strength: Strong. Texture and             luster: Densely tomentose; matte. Color: Close to 147D;             towards the apex tinged with close to 148A; pubescence,             close to NN155D.         -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity per flower: Four.             Filament length: About 3 mm. Filament color: Close to             NN155A. Anther shape: Reniform. Anther length: About 0.4 mm.             Anther color: Close to N92A. Pollen amount: Moderate. Pollen             color: Close to 17B. Pistils: Quantity per flower: One.             Pistil length: About 3 mm. Stigma shape: Club-shaped. Stigma             color: Close to N92A. Style length: About 2.5 mm. Style             color: Close to 157B to 157D. Ovary color: Close to 143C.         -   Seeds and fruits.—Seed and fruit production has not been             observed on plants of the new Lavandula. -   Disease & pest resistance: Plants of the new Lavandula have not been     noted to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Lavandula     plants. -   Garden performance: Plants of the new Lavandula have exhibited good     tolerance to rain and wind and have been observed to tolerate high     temperatures about 40° C. and to be hardy to USDA Hardiness Zone 7. 

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Lavandula plant named ‘Anouk Deluxe 1304’ as illustrated and described. 